Geelong Past Players & Officials Club history

The Geelong Football Club Past Players Association (GFCPPA) was established in 1933, two years after Geelong had won its second VFL Premiership in 1931. The idea of the GFCPPA originated after a match between past and present players of the Geelong Football Club on 12 August 1933¹. The Geelong Advertiser reported: ‘It will certainly be refreshing to see past players in action again at Corio Oval … Players whose names were on everyone’s lips in football circles a few years ago will take part, and they should give a good account of themselves.’²

While the present players triumphed, it was at an after-match dinner that the proposal to form a past players’ association was initiated. It was also suggested that to encourage the support of past players of the GFC, provision should be made to gather at matches played at Corio Oval. The first meeting of the past players was held a week later on 17 August 1933, where a motion was moved for a Past Players Association to be formed. The objectives of the association were put: ‘to assist [the Geelong Football] Club in general, and give past players opportunities to meet.’ A sub-committee of five men was elected to devise a constitution and consider a joining fee.

The Association’s first constitution was presented to a general meeting held at the Geelong Football Club rooms on 12 September 1933, and for simplicity was kept to eleven rules. Any player who played in the first or second eighteen could join, and the committee could appoint life members. The Constitution was finalised at a general meeting on 3 October 1933³, and with that the Geelong Football Club Past Players Association was officially launched.

The Past Players and Officials Association moved into their new facilities in the Players Stand in June, 2014. The move followed the redevelopment of the old Doug Wade stand. The old free-standing Rooms made way for the larger new stand, which includes a permanent home for the Past Players and a dedicated memorabilia display area.

1. Geelong Advertiser, 20 Nov. 1933
2. Geelong Advertiser, 10 Aug 1933, p.7
3. Geelong Advertiser, 9 September 1933, p.4

Excerpts from the above taken from the official history of the Geelong Past Players and Official Club, ”After The Game”

“After The Game”

Upon the 80th anniversary of the Past Players and Officials’ Club, the board undertook to re-create the history of the club, and this history was documented in the book “After The Game (80 years 1933 to 2013)”. The author, Susan Kruss, has devoted a significant amount of time in pursuit of an accurate appraisal of events over the last 80 years of existence of the GPPOC.